


ava

by ladydetective



Category: Book of the Ancestor Series - Mark Lawrence
Genre: Adoption, F/F, Families of Choice
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-28
Updated: 2021-02-28
Packaged: 2021-03-12 21:01:06
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,632
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29765535
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ladydetective/pseuds/ladydetective
Summary: Lily gets a sister.
Relationships: Sister Apple/Sister Kettle (Book of the Ancestor)
Comments: 2
Kudos: 3





	ava

**Author's Note:**

> hope you enjoy this!!! their little family means a lot to me

“Block!”

Lily followed Nona’s command, her little face set in a look of grim determination. She raised her sword - which was a knife, really, but she was still so short that it functioned as a sword - for a counterattack. She put all the strength she had into the blow, but it was not enough to rattle her very experienced opponent. Still though, the four-year-old did not give up. She’d begged her aunt for an opportunity to use live steel, and she was not going to waste it. 

Kettle watched the fight from the sidelines, half-smiling. Lily really was getting quite good at it, or at least as good as a four year old could be. Nona had, at the little girl’s insistence, been taking her out to spar on the sands of Blade Hall almost since she could walk. It was a regular thing between the two of them - much to Apple’s chagrin. Her partner thought Lily was far too young to be fighting, and fretted over her endlessly. Kettle took a more relaxed view on the whole endeavor. Lily was growing up to be at least as stubborn as both of her mothers combined, which was no small feat. She’d find a way to practice with or without Nona’s assistance, so she may as well benefit from the expert tutelage of her aunt. 

Lily was already fighting as well as some of the younger Red Class novices. In just a few short years, she would be joining them. Sometimes Kettle wondered where all the time had gone. It felt like only yesterday that she’d been a squalling infant who’d relied on her parents for everything. Now she was almost fiercely independent, and insisted on doing everything by herself. Last night, she’d even claimed that she was too big to be tucked into bed - though she quickly folded when Kettle offered her a story. 

In short, her little girl was growing up. She didn’t know how to feel about that.

“Mama!” shouted Lily, spinning around. “I got a hit! Did you see?”

Kettle hadn’t seen - she’d been too lost in her musings. Over on the Sands, Nona was gasping and holding the wounded area in such a dramatic way that she knew she wasn’t really hurt. She smiled at her daughter. “Well done! That was a really good one.”

Lily positively  _ beamed _ at the praise. “I’ll hit even harder next time, and quicker too!”

“You’ll be taking my job in no time,” said Nona, who had recovered from her war wound. She ruffled her niece’s hair affectionately. 

Kettle laughed at the two of them. “Come on, the pair of you best get cleaned up for dinner. And, uh… maybe don’t mention to your mother that Auntie Nona let you use live steel, hm? Best save that heart attack for another night.”

* * *

Lily was still on her mind when she made her way to bed that evening. The fact that she was growing up was now undeniable - almost every day, there was some kind of new development. It was natural, she knew that and was almost boundlessly proud of her, but still she missed the little baby she had been. 

Beside her, Apple appeared likewise distracted. This wasn’t entirely unusual - her lover had been in the laboratory for most of the day, working on her experiments. She was always pensive afterwards, mulling over the day’s discoveries. 

“What are you thinking about?” Kettle asked, as she ran a lazy hand through the other woman’s hair - which, incidentally,  _ still _ had no greys in it. It wasn’t fair - Apple was a few years older than her and yet her hair was still entirely red, whereas stubborn strands of grey were beginning to appear in her own.  _ The cost of being hunska _ , she supposed. 

“Lily, actually,” said Apple, a wistful note in her voice. “She’s growing up so quickly.”

Huh. It was sometimes scary how in-sync they could be - though it was probably to be expected after more than twenty years together. Kettle smiled in response. “Yeah. She’s getting pretty lethal with that sword now.”

Apple let out a short laugh. She was always beautiful when she laughed - it was something Kettle could watch her do forever. “Marked for the red, that one. I’ll be shocked if she picks anything else.”

“You know, she keeps mentioning Blade Path-”

“ _ No _ . She’s too young. She’ll hurt herself. There’ll be plenty of time for her to beat Nona’s record when she’s  _ older _ .”

Kettle pouted. It was her dearest ambition to coach Lily into beating her former protegee’s record - her leg was too injured to do it herself, but she was determined for her daughter to be victorious. 

“Anyway,” said Apple, changing the subject. Her posture shifted and she started to fidget - she was nervous about something. Kettle’s curiosity piqued. “I was thinking… why don’t we have another one?”

Kettle blinked. She couldn’t possibly have heard that right. Apple was staring at her intently, waiting for a response. “Another....baby?” 

Apple rolled her eyes. “No, another water lizard. Of  _ course _ , another baby.”

Her eyebrows shot up in surprise. She never would have expected this from her lover. Apple loved Lily - anyone with eyes and a functioning brain could see that - but she hadn’t exactly been thrilled to have her at the beginning. That she was the one suggesting it now spoke volumes. 

Did  _ Kettle _ want another baby? It wasn’t something she’d considered before - they first had Lily only because of the exceptional circumstances surrounding her abandonment. It likely wouldn’t have happened otherwise. She allowed herself to think about it now - another child that they could love, a brother or sister for Lily. Something like yearning erupted within her - she hadn’t realised until now, but she  _ wanted _ this. 

“How?” she asked, addressing the elephant in the room.

Apple smiled eagerly. She was positively  _ glowing _ with excitement. “I was thinking the orphanage. You know, the one we were originally going to send Lily to. Babies are left there all the time, and they need good homes. Why not with us?”

“Think Rule will go for it?”

“Well, she’ll take some persuading. But Sweet Mercy already manages the place, it wouldn’t really be any extra expense. We already have Lily’s old things.”

Kettle looked at her, a small smile playing at the corner of her mouth. “You’ve been thinking about this a lot, haven’t you?”

Apple flushed and let out a shaky laugh. “Yeah. I just - I love Lily. I love being her mother. I want to do that again. We’ve been  _ good _ for her, why shouldn’t we give that to another child? Are you… is it something you want, too?”

Kettle leaned in and kissed her. It was a brief yet tender embrace. When she pulled away, they smiled at one another - Apple with a hint of nervousness as she awaited Kettle’s response. “I think that’s a great idea. Let’s do it. Let’s have a baby.”

* * *

They spent the next several days talking amongst themselves, planning out the logistics of it all. Apple had been doing this in her own head for the past several weeks - it was a relief to finally say it out loud. Both of them were incredibly excited at the prospect of a new baby - it permeated the air around them, and others began to pick up on it. They fielded almost relentless questions from their nearest and dearest, but they didn’t want to tell anyone until they got the go-ahead from Rule. 

They planned their meeting with the Abbess like it was a Grey mission, constructing talking points as well as trying to come up with counter-arguments for any problems the older woman might have with their proposal.  _ Operation Adoption _ , Apple thought wryly to herself. It had been a long time since she’d wanted anything so much.

The Abbess’s office had a peculiar quality to it - she always felt like a misbehaving novice while she was inside, no matter how many years had passed since she’d taken her Holy Orders. She used to find herself in here a lot under the tenure of Abbess Lane, accused of poisoning any number of fellow novices. There had never been any proof. In the not so distant past, Wheel would bring both her and Kettle in to chastise them for their immodest behaviour. If  _ she _ was still in charge, they would not have bothered making this request - the answer would have been a resounding  _ no _ . 

But Abbess Rule was both kinder and more understanding than her most direct predecessor. She’d taught both Apple and Kettle as novices, and had always been good to them. She was a very able leader, if a less charismatic one than both Wheel and Glass. Sweet Mercy had been in tatters after the war, but was now once again thriving due in no small part to her capable direction.

“Well, Sisters?” she asked, a pleasant smile on her face. “What is it you wished to see me about.”

“We’ve both been thinking,” began Kettle. They’d agreed that she should take the lead, because Apple could come across as more than a little blunt. “Lily’s been very happy here, and we’ve done -  _ are doing _ \- a great job with her. It’s been good for everyone, having a young child around.”

That much was true. Everyone loved Lily - she was a much needed light at what was otherwise a very dark time. She lifted morale, filled a gaping wound that would otherwise be occupied with grief for those the Convent had lost. Naturally, she had everyone wrapped around her little finger - the Abbess included. 

The older woman smiled and inclined her head, but otherwise said nothing in response. 

“We were thinking,” said Kettle, coming to the end of her speech, “of adopting another baby.”

A looked of acute surprise flashed across the Abbess’s face. Whatever she had expected the purpose of this meeting to be, this hadn’t been it. 

“I see,” she said, her voice pensive. She turned to face Apple. “Is this something you  _ both  _ want?”

Apple nodded her head vehemently. “Yes. I - it was my idea, actually.”

Rule sat back in her seat, at a loss for what to say. They allowed her to gather her thoughts, not wanting to push too hard too soon. “This… isn’t exactly a standard request. It is generally understood that when you take your vows, you will lead a childless life. Lily was very much an exception - her particular circumstances meant that the Convent was left with little choice than to take up the burden of her care. She was permitted to stay with the two of you even after an orphanage spot became available because it would have been needlessly cruel to send her away after she had already become settled. To voluntarily take in another child… I’m not sure I can authorise it. The High Priest certainly wouldn’t be happy about it.” She eyed them shrewdly. “How were the two of you planning to go about doing this? I imagine there  _ is _ some sort of plan.”

“We were thinking of adopting from the orphanage,” argued Apple. “There’s plenty of children there who need a good home, and we’d like to provide that. Sweet Mercy already manages the place, so it wouldn’t cost the Church any more money. It’s our time we’d be giving up, and Kettle and I are both more than willing to do that.”

“It would be good for Lily,” chimed in Kettle, “to be able to play with someone closer to her own age. She liked running around after the novices, but they’re all a good bit older than her. She’d love a little brother or sister to chase after.”

A small, reluctant smile tugged at the corner of Rule’s mouth. Apple could feel herself relaxing at the sight of it - they hadn’t expected her to come around so quickly. “Lily  _ would _ make a marvelous older sister,” she conceded, before sighing. “Look. I can see how much you want this. I can’t guarantee that the High Priest won’t overrule my decision, but - go for it. Try and get a girl, at least. A boy could get… messy… in a couple of years’ time. This  _ is _ still a Convent, after all. Just… don’t be surprised if orders from above interfere with the process.”

Apple and Kettle looked at each other, scarcely daring to believe that it had been this easy.  _ They were going to have another baby! _ Identical smiles lit up both of their faces at the same time as the news sunk in. Under the table, they squeezed each other’s hands. 

Apple turned back to Rule to thank her, but the older woman waved her off. “Go on,” she said, trying in vain to conceal her own smile, “Go and make the arrangements. No doubt there’s a little girl who needs to be told that she’s going to be a big sister.”

* * *

It took several long weeks to hear back from the orphanage - they’d gone to them almost immediately after their conversation with Abbess Rule, and were informed that they’d be in contact when a baby became available. The waiting was a form of torture in and of itself - now that they’d decided that they wanted another baby, all they wanted was to hold her in their arms. For someone who regularly taught students to exercise patience in their endeavours, Apple was having a hard time doing so now. 

They weren’t the only ones - Lily was bursting with excitement at the prospect of meeting her little sister. Apple and Kettle had told her the news the very next day - they’d dragged her away from her training and sat her down in her room.

She’d appeared put out at first - woe betide anyone who tried to separate her from her sword - but her expression soon became one of curiosity when she noticed the smiles on her mother’s faces that they hadn’t quite been able to conceal. 

“What’s going on?” she asked, her voice suspicious in a way that was seldom seen in a four year old. 

“Well,” said Kettle, choosing her words carefully. They knew that Lily would ultimately enjoy having a sibling, but it might also be a tough adjustment for her. She was used to being the centre of attention as the only young child in a Convent full of adult nuns and teenage novices. “How would you feel about having someone to play with all the time?”

“I have people I play with all the time. Both of you, Auntie Ara and Nona, Sister Page… lots of people.”

“We mean someone closer to your own age,” said Apple. “A sister.”

Lily’s brow narrowed in confusion. “Isn’t everyone here my Sister?”

Apple stifled a laugh. Beside her, Kettle did the same thing. “Yes, Little One -”

The girl scowled. “I’m not little, I’m big.”

Apple had called her ‘little one’ since she was just a few days old, but lately she had started to take umbrage at the name. Kettle lost her internal battle and let out a peal of laughter. Apple elbowed her. 

“Not helpful,” she muttered. 

Kettle shrugged. “I like watching you struggle. And besides - she has a point.”

“They are your Sisters,” she tried again, “Or at least, they will be one day. But we’re talking about a different kind of sister.” A sudden bolt of inspiration hit her. “It’s like when you visit your grandmother - all of your cousins over there have brothers and sisters. Do you think that’s something you might like?”

Lily thought about it for a couple of seconds. Ever since Apple reconnected with her mother a couple of years ago, she’d been bringing Lily to visit her and her family every couple of months. The little girl loved running around with her cousins - she’d show them all the fighting techniques her aunts had taught her, and they played nice  _ normal _ games with her in turn. 

Eventually, she nodded. “I think so. Will I have to share my room?”

“Only if you want to,” responded Kettle. “She’ll be staying with us for the first few months because she’ll be really small, but there’s plenty of empty rooms down in the Shade Caverns that we can clear out for her if you don’t want to share.”

Apple knelt down and pressed a kiss to Lily’s forehead. “You’re going to be the best big sister in the world.”

Telling Lily made it feel real in a way that nothing else really had - this was  _ happening _ . They were going to do it. Some time in the near future, they were going to have another child. Excitement thrummed across her body at the prospect. She had trouble concentrating in her classes and her mood was so high that, on one notable occasion, she forgot to poison a novice who’d turned up late. It prompted rumours that she was losing her touch - she made a mental note to arrange some form of unpleasant surprise for them at a later date, just to keep them on their toes. 

Word from the orphanage arrived in the middle of the teaching day, asking them to drop by at their earliest convenience. Both Apple and Kettle immediately organised cover and left Lily in the company of her aunts. They’d briefly debated bringing her with them, but they’d sworn on the day that they’d decided to keep her that she would never again see the inside of that place. Besides, they wanted a few moments to bond with their new baby before introducing her to the typhoon that was her sister. 

The journey down to Verity was nerve-wracking. It hadn’t been like this the first time, with Lily. She’d been thrust upon them so suddenly that there hadn’t been time for nerves - they just had to get on with it. She was the best thing that ever happened to them - Apple knew that in her core - but things hadn’t always been easy. And now they were  _ choosing _ to do it again. Her heart was racing, nerves and anxiety clashing with enough force to make her sweat. 

Kettle noticed. She took her hand and offered a small, reassuring smile. Apple could get lost in that smile - and, like always, it was enough to anchor her. 

In a period of time that could have been hours or minutes - it was difficult to measure, given their frame of mind - they arrived at the orphanage. It was a very different place from the desolate hovel it had been when Lily was a baby. After Grelod’s unfortunate and entirely  _ accidental  _ demise, Apple and Kettle lobbied for Sweet Mercy to take over the organisation of the institution. The High Priest hadn’t initially been impressed, but the debt of gratitude he owed Nona was so great that he’d eventually conceded. Its management was now one of the many duties of Sweet Mercy’s Holy Sisters, though members of the Red and Grey were free to help out at their own discretion. They’d both been down a number of times, though not as often as they could have - they didn’t like thinking about how close they’d come to giving up Lily, and being in the building was a grim reminder. 

The difference that the Sisters made was so great that it was hard to quantify. The building itself, while still old-fashioned, had lost the air of neglect that it once had and now was at least clean and well-maintained. The children seemed much happier - an orphanage would never be a truly cheerful place, but they were well cared for. She could see a couple of them running around now, playing contentedly with one another. 

Sister Page greeted them at the entryway with a smile. The current Mistress Spirit was deeply involved in the management of the orphanage, and knew all of the children personally. “I’m glad you were both able to make it. She was left here just a few hours ago - her birth mother is very keen for her to go to a family. We thought it best that you came at once to get her settled as quickly as possible. Are you ready to meet your daughter?”

The two of them nodded emphatically. Apple could feel her normally steady hands shaking, and beside her Kettle’s excess energy was making her bounce up and down on the soles of her feet. Page led them through to the office, where a nun in a dark habit was sitting in the corner, holding a tiny bundle in her arms. 

Apple could not take her eyes off the bundle. “Is that…?” she asked, unable to complete the sentence.

Page smiled softly at her. “Yes. Sit down, both of you, and I’ll bring her over to say hello.”

  
They did as instructed. Somewhere in the back of her mind, Apple appreciated the irony of obeying the orders of a former student - but it was only a tangential thought, as it seemed like her entire being was occupied with the baby across from her. 

Wordlessly, she extended her arms. The little girl was placed in them, and something in Apple’s heart constricted at the sight of her. She was  _ perfect _ . A tiny little face, with eyes that were fluttering open and closed as if deciding if they wanted to sleep or not. She didn’t weigh very much - no heavier than some of the books in the Convent library. Apple estimated that she was a few days old at the very most. 

Kettle wrapped an arm around her back and leaned in to get a proper look. “She’s beautiful,” she said, mirroring Apple’s own thoughts. She could hear the smile in her voice, though she couldn’t tear her eyes away from the baby long enough to check. Kettle maneuvered her free hand into the baby’s own, and let out a startled laugh. “She’s got a good strong grip already.”

“Does she have a name?” asked Apple.

“Ava,” said Sister Page, who was watching the scene in front of her with a fond smile on her face. “But she’s young enough - only three days old - that you could change it easily. It’s up to the two of you.”

“Ava,” she repeated, testing out the feel of the name on her tongue. They’d talked about names over the past few weeks, but hadn’t been able to agree on one. They’d even debated letting Lily choose - but knowing their eldest daughter’s current interest, she’d probably end up choosing  _ dagger _ or  _ battleaxe _ . Having lived in the Convent her entire life, she didn’t really understand that most people weren’t named after objects. “I like that.” 

Something about the name also brought her old mentor to mind. She supposed that  _ Ava _ and  _ Ivy  _ were similar enough. She’d loved her - she’d been the closest thing that Apple had had to a parent for many years. She liked to think that she would have been honored by this. She turned to Kettle, who was still gazing adoringly at their daughter. “What do you think?” she asked. “I know it wasn’t one of the ones we talked about, but I quite like it.”

Kettle grinned broadly. Tears were glistening in her eyes, threatening to fall. “I think it’s wonderful. A pretty name for a pretty girl.”

“Welcome to the world, Ava.”

* * *

Lily was more excited than she could ever remember being in her whole four years of life. She was going to be a big sister! Her mamas were in Verity  _ right now _ picking her up, and then they were going to bring her back home to the Convent. A part of her was sad that she couldn’t go with them - Verity was fun! She always had a great time there when she went on Sevenday. It was full of interesting people and tasty food. But she guessed she understood, and she liked it when her Aunties watched over her too. 

She stayed with them whenever her mamas were busy, or whenever they needed time alone. That happens quite a lot - Lily didn’t really understand why adults  _ needed  _ so much grown-up time. What were they doing? Anyway. Auntie Ara and Nona let her stay up later than her mothers did, and sometimes they let her do extra practice in Blade Hall. 

Lily  _ loved _ fighting. She did it with as many weapons as she was allowed to use. Knives were her best - she liked swords too, but she was too little to handle most of them. Her little-ness helped her be good with the knives - she could dash around and hurt people’s legs and they usually couldn’t catch her. She was  _ really _ quick - Auntie Nona said she was hunska for sure. This meant she’d be even quicker when she was bigger!

She wanted to be a Red Sister like her aunties when she grew up. She’d keep training really, really hard and then get to go on special missions where she’d fight bad guys and rescue pretty ladies. When she told her mama this, her lip went all small and she fidgeted with her red hair. Her other mama - mummy, she sometimes called her - laughed and told her if she did everything Auntie Nona told her to do, that might just happen. Lily intended to listen - she was going to be the best Red Sister  _ ever. _

Just like how she was going to be the best big sister ever! She didn’t notice her mamas come back at first - she was too busy sparring with Nona and Ara - but was forced to pay attention when they dropped their weapons and turned towards the door, matching smiles on their faces. She was tempted to attack them while their guard was down, but they’d always taught her not to fight unarmed opponents. 

Her mamas walked into Blade Hall. One of them was holding a little bundle in her arms. Her sister! Lily stood up on her tippy-toes to get a better look, but it was no use. She was wrapped in too many blankets. The one who was not holding a baby came over to her and gave her a big hug. She put up with it reluctantly, far too excited to be in a cuddly mood. 

After what felt like  _ forever _ , her mama pulled away. Like usual, her hair was falling out of her habit but she didn’t even try to tidy it away. “Are you ready to meet your baby sister?”

Lily nodded her head so hard it made her feel kinda dizzy. Her mama took her hand and led her across the room, where Auntie Ara had pulled up a chair for mummy and the baby. Lily looked at the little girl, drinking in every aspect of her. This didn’t take very long, because she was  _ tiny _ ! People always called Lily small, but she was practically a giant in comparison to her sister. 

“What’s her name?” she asked, making her voice really quiet so she wouldn’t disturb her. 

“Ava,” answered her mum. She was still holding the baby and was looking down at her with a funny look on her face - it was like she was having a really good dream, but couldn’t quite believe it was real.

“Ava,” Lily repeated. She liked the sound of that. It wasn’t what she would have picked - she liked the sound of _D_ _ agger _ herself - but it was pretty enough. “Can I hold her?”

Her mothers looked at each other for a couple of seconds, talking without saying anything. They did that a lot. It was annoying! Lily liked being included. Finally, they came to some kind of agreement. 

“Okay,” said her mama, “but you have to sit down first. Make sure you’re really, really gentle - she’s very small.”

Lily  _ ran _ into the chair that Auntie Nona quickly provided, her heart beating so fast with excitement that it felt like it was going to burst out of her chest. Her mum rose from her own chair and put baby Ava into her outstretched arms. 

“Make sure you support her head!” said her Mama, but Lily wasn’t really listening - she was too busy staring at her little sister. She’d been cute from far away, but up close she was even more so. If possible, she seemed even smaller like this. A part of her was afraid to move too suddenly - she didn’t want to hurt her. She didn’t want  _ anyone _ to hurt her  _ ever _ . 

“I’m going to protect you,” she whispered. She was talking to Ava and had entirely forgotten that other people were even in the room, but they nevertheless heard her. Her mothers were holding each other’s hands as they took in the scene before them, smiling at the sight of both of their daughters together. 

Auntie Ara punched Auntie Nona’s arm. “I wonder who she got _ that _ from,” she said pointedly. 

“No idea,” said Nona, though she grinned.

* * *

Kettle stretched, relieving some of the tension in her muscles.  _ Ancestor _ , she was tired. It felt like she hadn’t slept properly in weeks. Ava was, on the whole, a better behaved baby than Lily had been. She only cried when she really needed something, as opposed to just for attention as her big sister was wont to do. But still, she was a newborn and no newborn was precisely easy. 

She was glad that she wasn’t expected to teach a class tomorrow, nor for any day over the next couple of weeks. She wasn’t sure how Appy had managed it when Lily was small - the very thought of mustering the energy needed to coral a class of novices made her shudder. Maybe she  _ was _ getting old. 

They both agreed to take time off for the first few weeks, to ensure they bonded with their new baby and that there weren’t any problems. They -  _ mostly _ Apple, but Kettle a little too - had been stubborn the first time around and insisted on carrying on with their regular schedules as if nothing had changed. It had led to issues on both fronts, and they wanted to do better this time. 

Still, for all of her complaining, it was worth it. Little Ava was settling in wonderfully to Convent life - she was every bit as adored as her sister. She and Apple had been  _ flooded _ with well-wishers and visitors since they brought her home, and the baby welcomed them with minimal fuss. She appreciated the intrusion considerably more than both of her mothers, actually. 

(“It’s like they forget what we can  _ do  _ as soon as a baby enters the equation,” muttered Apple as the bade farewell to their seventh visitor of the day.

“They just want to bask in her cuteness too,” responded Kettle fairly, though she privately agreed.)

Despite Lily’s initial enthusiasm for the prospect, they’d been more than a little worried about how she would adapt once the shine wore off.  _ She _ was the usual recipient of all this attention, after all. So far so good, though - she was utterly devoted to Ava. She talked to her, played with her, helped feed her - sometimes she was actually _ too _ helpful. Once, they’d awoken in the morning to find Lily standing outside of their chambers, holding her little sword firmly aloft. When they asked what she was doing, she’d said she was guarding Ava. Turns out, she’d been there all night. 

_ Ancestor _ , Kettle loved her family so much. Never in a million years would she ever have imagined that  _ this _ would be her life. When she first came to the Convent, she was alone. She was so lost and confused that she hadn’t even wanted to speak. Safira coaxed her out of her shell, and over time she came to view Sweet Mercy as a home comparable to the one she left behind. Her ex-lover’s subsequent betrayal sent her life on another tailspin, which Apple then helped her get through. 

They’d been together for almost twenty years now. Kettle would say that she couldn’t imagine her life without her in it - but the problem was, she could. All too easily, in fact. She still had nightmares about the battle and the few horrendous hours that she’d believed Apple lost to her. She thanked the Ancestor every day that that didn’t end up being the case. 

Now they had two  _ wonderful _ daughters together. 

Out of the corner of her eye, Kettle noticed Apple quietly re-enter the room. One thing their carefully honed Grey abilities came in useful for nowadays was moving about without waking any sleeping children. 

She pressed a swift kiss to Kettle’s cheek and wrapped her arms around her. “Sovereign for your thoughts?” she asked. 

Kettle briefly flirted with the idea of coming up with a sassy quip, but eventually settled on the truth. She shrugged. “Just that I love you, and our girls.”

Apple smiled in response. “That’s my line.” She leaned in for another kiss. “But I love you too. We got really lucky, didn’t we?”

Kettle opened her mouth to agree, but then closed it again, thinking. “I don’t think so,” she said, finally.”

Apple shot her a confused look. “I just mean - it wasn’t luck. Sometimes we got lucky, yeah, but we fought for this. We fought to be together, and we fought for our girls.”

Apple ran a tender hand down Kettle’s cheek, her expression soft. “That we did. Speaking of - did they both go down to sleep okay?”

“Yeah. Ava’s been out for about an hour, and I even coaxed Lily into her own bed. She’s still tired after her guard duty.”

Apple rolled her eyes fondly at the memory, though there was a wicked glint in them - a glint Kettle very much recognised. “Does that mean we have as much as ten whole minutes to ourselves before one of them wakes up? What  _ shall _ we do with that time?”

Kettle grinned at her as she moved closer. “I have a few ideas.”

**Author's Note:**

> you can find me on twitter @gaelalear or on tumblr @applekettle. please leave a comment if u enjoyed!!


End file.
